The present invention relates to a vehicle subassembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicle subassembly comprising a release mechanism to unlatch a vehicle door latch in an emergency situation.
Energy is required to unlatch latched vehicle doors. This energy is primarily required to overcome the frictional resistance between a latch bolt and pawl tooth of a latch mechanism when the pawl tooth retains the latch in a latched position. This resistance is largely induced by the force of seals around the door that normally tend to urge the door into an ajar position, but which when the door is latched, act between a striker mounted on the door surround and the latch bolt. This force is commonly known as the “seal force” or “seal load”. Under normal circumstances, the seal load is likely to be less than 1,000 N.
When a vehicle suffers an impact, particularly from the side, deformation of the vehicle door may result in an increased unlatching force being required. In light of increasing vehicle safety standards, it is desirable to provide means to permit unlatching at an increased seal load, preferably a seal load of up to 9,000 N, that is due to deformation of the vehicle.